NOLA Brown Ale - New Orleans Lager & Ale Brewing Company (NOLA)

champ103

Texas

2.17/5  rDev -42%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

On tap at Walk On's in Lafayette.

A: Pours a light brown, more of a reddish color. A tiny bubbly beige head forms, but recedes to nothing in a second. No lace either.
S: Right up front is buttery diacetyl. Some sweet malt and caramel, but that is it.
T: Again, big on the diacetyl. Buttery malt that tastes kind of dirty. Lightly sweet.
M/D: A light body that is under carbonated and thin. I did not really care to finish the pint, and nothing I want to come back to.

I have had two excellent beers from NOLA, but this is a major let down. Not something I would recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2011 02:07:53 | More by champ103

beveritt

Ohio

2.4/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Presentation: Had on tap recently at Hopjacks. Arrives in a Shaker pint glass.

Appearance: Absolutely no head whatsoever. None. Beer itself is dark brown, looks like a glass of flat Coke.

Smell: No smell, even as it warms up.

Taste: Slight smell of caramel malt upfront with hints of molasses. Undertones of licorice, tobacco and coffee. Biscuity malt with some toffee flavors lingers. Some band-aid phenols.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation level is lower than it should be for this beer. Body is good.

Drinkability: Saw this one on the menu and thought I would give it a try. Drinkable, but it tastes like someone's second or third attempt at homebrewing. Pass.

Note on 11/9/10: I received an e-mail from the brewery concerning this review. They stated that it sounded like a an issue with the carbonation level of the beer and invited me to try some directly from the brewery next time I am in the area. Props to them for pro-active customer service. I will definitely try some more of their beer next time I am down south.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2010 01:04:45 | More by beveritt

Bishop_Collar

2.78/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Beer had a dark brown appearance with a quarter inch of light tan head with some retention. Beer turned an amber color when held up to light. Did have nice lacing and appeared to have good carbonation.

Smell: Picked up a pretty consistent roasted malt aroma with some chocolate notes.

Taste: Roasted malt flavor with some caramel notes. Not much depth or complexity. One note flavor.

Mouthfeel: Although it had good carbonation, it had a flat finish. Mouthfeel was thin and watery.

Overall: I have enjoyed two other beers from NOLA (Blonde Ale Hurricane Saison), but this one is a miss. Not very noteworthy.

For my complete review, see my blog http://thebishopscollar.blogspot.com/2012/08/nola-brown-ale.html

Serving type: can

08-07-2012 11:27:23 | More by Bishop_Collar

Valdus

Louisiana

3/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A: The beer looked rather good, a clear yellowish amber color. Rather appealing.

S: The scent was rather malty compared to other amber brews.

T: Very malty with little detection of any hops character. It tasted almost like a beer version of ovaltine, believe it or not.

M: Crisp, thin compared to usual amber brews.

D: Good but could have been a bit more bitter, it tasted rather average.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2010 19:10:19 | More by Valdus

boss302

Florida

3.08/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Nola brown ale, draft

A Big thick rocky head, deep ruby red color when held to the light. A nice looking beer.

S A slight hop aroma, but you really have to try. I don't really smell anything else in this beer. With the big head, I expected lots of aromatics, but was disappointed.

T A little malty sweetness at first, then fades to a salty taste. I know that doesn't seem right, but that's what I taste. Very little hop flavor. No one flavor stands out, it lacks the deep malty complexity that I expect in a brown ale. No off flavors, so there's nothing wrong with the brewing practices, it just lacks character.

M Thin not much body, lacks a co2 bite even though it had a very nice head.

O I'ts an OK beer. To be honest I don't really don't see the appeal of this particular beer. I don't think I'll be having another.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2010 01:48:00 | More by boss302

ZethOfTheNorth

Louisiana

3.1/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 oz. can from a sixer bought at Rouse's, New Orleans, for $8.29. Poured hard and down the middle into a wine glass.

A: Aggressive pour yields a fluffy two-finger head with enduring retention. Lacing is weak. Very dark brown color with some lighter caramel colors showing at the bottom of the glass. Classic brown look.

S: Sweet-smelling and surprisingly big for a 4% beer. Some chocolate and coffee and roasted nuts. There's also something earthy and musty in there... almost moldy.

T: A bright, pleasant burst of the coffee, followed by a dominant roasted malt -- maybe overly aggressive here. Then a third wave with a watery sensation and that weird dank taste. I've experienced this every time I've had NOLA Brown.

M: Quite light and slightly more carbonated than the average brown. The wateriness is killing this beer -- and probably ensuring it sits at 4%.

O: NOLA Brown is clearly NOLA's answer to Abita Amber, another local session dark. It has a nice initial punch of flavor for a session beer, but the feel and back-end taste are clearly off.

Serving type: can

09-10-2012 13:36:32 | More by ZethOfTheNorth

Beejay

Virginia

3.15/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Dark brown in color with a soft dense tan head.

S: There is a nice grain and flour smell. Slightly bready with a touch of toffee.

T: Nice grain flavor, with some burnt bread and toffee. There is a touch of sharpness in the finish.

M: Fairly light in body with tingling carbonation. I think part of the bite that I am getting is carbonic.

O: Overall not bad, but nothing amazing. Love gravity, some nice dark malt character, although I wish there was a little more flavor.

Serving type: can

05-20-2013 01:37:20 | More by Beejay

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had on tap at the Avenue Pub poured into a pint glass

Appearance: 1/2 inch head, hazy, dark reddish-brown in color

Smell: leather and caramel

Taste: brown sugar, toasted malt, and leather

Mouthfeel: medium body, sweet with a bitter backbone, moderate carbonation

Overall: This is not a bad beer, but it really did not stick out much either. I could session, but after being blown away by Flambeau Red, this was a let down. I will pass on this in the future and get the red.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2011 14:26:31 | More by tigg924

acevenom

Louisiana

3.43/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a glass mug. Pours dark brown with a fluffy tan head that retains well, but there isn't much lacing. There appears to be plenty of carbonation. There's an aroma of dark roasted malts and chocolate. The taste is fairly mild. There are flavors of dark roasted malt, bitter chocolate, and slightly nutty. It has a pleasant sweet flavor. The aftertaste is not strong. The mouthfeel is light, clean, and slightly creamy. It's very easy to gulp. Overall, this is a good beer. It's easily sessionable and I could see myself knocking back a few pints of this.

Serving type: can

03-25-2012 00:42:06 | More by acevenom

MasterSki

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Another 1L growler supplied by NewGeneric - thanks man. Served in my NotLA pint taster glass.

A - Transparent chestnut brown body, with two fingers of light tan foam that dissipates to a ring and some light haze. Not much in the way of lacing. Some visible bubbles rise through the body.

S - Light roasted malt, molasses, and a touch of nuttiness. Fairly muted, but not unpleasant.

T - The taste is quite nutty, with a light yeasty finish. There's also some light toasted grain, and a bit of sweet maltiness. I like the taste better than the smell.

M - More crisp and zesty carbonation than the blonde - actually borders on harsh for me. Light-medium body that is definitely style-appropriate.

D - Very drinkable at 3.9%, but not super-interesting. If I were in Louisiana I'd stick to the Blonde I think. This was actually the growler that kicked last at a party I held recently.

Serving type: growler

03-27-2010 17:52:06 | More by MasterSki

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

3.53/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

P:  Dark brown with deep amber highlights topped with a tower of tan rootbeer head.  Decent bubble activity with foamy lacing and a dissipated milky layer of head on top. 

S:  Super sweet roasted malts, molasses, coffee, chocolate sour dough and caramel.  

T/M:  Roasted malts and chocolate deliver a strong first impression.  Moderate carbonation on a watered dairy sweet and creamy feel.  Taste seems somewhat watered down.  Finishes with coffee and subtle bittersweet cocoa. 

O:  Not a huge fan on brown ales but it was good.  The sweet dairy taste was almost upsetting.  The beer has great flavor for a session beer and has good drink ability. 

Serving type: can

05-30-2012 23:00:50 | More by Hopswagger

drpimento

Wisconsin

3.55/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Not a bad brown, but nothing special. Served with a nice creamy, fine, light tan head and some lace. Color was a clear dark, garnet brown. Traditonal nut brown flavor witha bit of dark, ripe fruit and a bit of acid. Body was a tad thin and carbonation was a little fizzy. Roasty, slightly sweet finish of medium length.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2010 19:14:30 | More by drpimento

emerge077

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to MasterSki for sharing the growler!
Review from notes...

Clear copper, creamy tan foam. It's froth leaves a scalloped ring of lacing all around. Decent retention, it holds an unbroken skim of foam for the duration of the glass.

Fairly nutty, mild tobacco leaf dryness, husky malts. Somewhat crisp with a slight bite. Ample carbonation, almost a touch too much for a Mild Ale. Still, it's a simple yet refreshing beverage that I enjoyed drinking.

Serving type: growler

03-28-2010 01:57:10 | More by emerge077

TeeCee

Louisiana

3.68/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Quick review - I HAD to review this. Well, that's a joke. I should have reviewed this months ago. This Brown is like a stout light. If I were a big stout fan, I would probably rate this as the #1 summer beer. Unfortunately, I'm not a stout fan.

Color - very dark in the bar light. Reddish at the edges, a deep red. The pour left almost an inch of head that dissipated to maybe 1/8" with some tight lacing.

Smell - rich, chocolaty stoutness. I poured some in a separate cup to swirl and smell and I get a fruity, lightly raisiny smell.

Taste - I get a slight stoutness that I understand now that I've had this beer on a heavier nitrogen mix. I get a very dry, chocolaty taste here. No hops that I can discern other than whatever's used for bitterness. Maybe a bit of coffee there too.

Mouthfeel - surprisingly thin. I get some bubbles if I swish it, but the CO2 is not that noticeable in a normal sip.

You could session this beer. It comes across that light.

Serving type: on-tap

07-18-2009 13:21:08 | More by TeeCee

OzarkElmo

Missouri

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at The Avenue Pub in New Orleans Feb 10, 2010. Pours a dark brown with slight beige head. good dark malts of caramel, chocolates and some nuts. Medium body and carbonation - good finish. Very drinkable and satisfying. Nice offering in my humble opinion - cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2010 20:25:18 | More by OzarkElmo

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Consumed 4/13/12

Appearance: Mostly clear, light brown color with a decent beige head that fades to a respectable ring

Smell: A solid brown ale - roasted malts, slightly nutty, toasted dark bread and some bread crust - some molasses - some mild sweetness - overall, on the mild side, but I think that is the point

Taste: Mild, but good - a decent malt profile, slightly roasted, slightly toasted, toffee, bread crust, nuts, and a touch of chocolate - bitterness is pretty nonexistent - some kind of vegetal off-flavor

Mouthfeel: Light body, lots of carbonation (maybe a little too much), extremely drinkable

Overall: Unique, worth a try

This is my first English Dark Mild Ale, but I think a label like "American Mild Brown" would be more fitting. It's like a brown ale, just lighter. There are some weird things in the flavor, but ultimately this is good. This is designed to be a session beer, and it definitely serves that purpose. For that, it gets a bump in its overall score.

Serving type: can

04-13-2012 05:10:46 | More by angrybabboon

EgadBananas

Louisiana

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown, with a tan colored head. Aroma of light chocolate, roasted malts and a faint bit of coffee. The taste was lightly sweet, with some chocolate and a bit of nuttiness. The feel is light, slightly crisp, with a mild creamy note. Drinkability is great and yay portability!

...Where's the Hopitoulas, Nola?!

Serving type: can

05-16-2012 03:13:56 | More by EgadBananas

brewskifan55

Mississippi

3.83/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on tap at the NOLA brewery in a pint glass

Appearance: Cola brown; 2 finger head with good lacing

Smell: malty with a hint of chocolate

Taste: Toffee, caramel, roast pecans with a dry, licorice finish.

Mouthfeel: A bit on the light side (almost watery).

Overall: A rich brown ale in the English tradition. The porter-like finish kind of threw me off. Still glad I tried it.

UPDATE 4/20/12 Poured from a can into a Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass
A: same as above
S: Heavy on the coffee with a malt backup. Woody
T: Coffee forward with malts, caramel and pecans. A dry, mocha finish. Rich, robust.
M: Medium, creamy; medium carbonation
O: Pretty damn good out of the can. Really different from the tap.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2011 23:59:14 | More by brewskifan55

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.88/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Wife brought this one back from New Orleans.
12oz. can poured into a DFH shaped pint glass.

A - Pours a dark clear hazel color with 2 fingers of firm tan head. Decent retention with little to no lacing.

S - Roasted grain and sunflower seeds, nutty wheat bread, sweet dairy, toasted caramel.

T - Follows the nose with less sweetness. Toasted grain, nutty, brown bread crust, subtle sweetness around the edges, has an acidic bite towards the finish.

M - Light body, moderate carbonation, creamy feel.

A very well rounded beer. Gives a nice aftertaste of toasted bread and hints of cocoa. Goes down easy with plenty of flavor. You could put a few of these away.

Serving type: can

03-23-2012 20:37:05 | More by StaveHooks

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

3.89/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from tap intp pint at The Pickle in shreveport, LA. Pours a deep brown with just a bit of foamy head. Nice sweet nutty malty aroma, with slight hop presence. Taste is very nutty, malty, sweet, but mild. Really well balanced and nice sweet malty flavors. I really enjoy the nutty malts in this. Its a super smooth brew with great body...very well balanced. Nice.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2013 00:51:31 | More by DrinkSlurm

Vengeance526

Louisiana

3.9/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark brown color with a small tan head that lasts for a while and leaves a little lacing.

Aroma of roasted malt and nuts with a hint of caramel in the back.

Taste starts off very nutty along with notes of chocolate upfront. Very malty, some caramel, and a dry roasty finish. The initial taste is great but sometimes seems a bit bland toward the end.

Light to medium body with light carbonation. Light, enjoyable and easy to drink. Overall, this isn't very complex, it actually seems like a pretty basic brown. But it is done right, very solid and satisfying all around and quite sessionable. A great go to beer if in the mood for this style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2009 03:16:22 | More by Vengeance526

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.9/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

NOLA Brown Ale has a thin, but creamy head and is very dark red in color. Carbonation is minimal. This ale is surprisingly mild and bitterness is slight. Mouthfeel is light and rather watery. This was served very fresh on tap at the NOLA brewery and was delicious.

RJT

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2010 13:56:09 | More by RonaldTheriot

unclejimbay

Florida

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

NOLA Brown
Reviewed 3/18/09 @ Bulldog Uptown, NOLA Draft>pint glass

This was my first visit to the Bulldog. It met my expectations with a fine La Fin Du Monde, and this nice surprise local brew "NOLA Brown" as suggested by one of the local barbers (who is a close friend of the local brewer "Kirk" on 7th & Tchop).

A 3.5 - deep brown in color as expected, satisfactory head and lacing.
S 4.0 - dark malty fruit and nut notes
T 4.0 - dark caramel malt notes, some nut notes, mild hops are present, reminds me of a Bass Ale meets Brown.
MF 4.0- medium-full body, medium carbonation.
D 4.0 - An all around good brew, even better that it is brewed locally. Support local beer, try a NOLA Brown!

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2009 18:20:03 | More by unclejimbay

theghost3

Louisiana

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

According to NOLA, this is actually an English Brown Ale, so I'll review it as such.

Pours a dark brown with a 1-finger tan head that sticks around for a while. Minimal lacing.

The scent is toasty malts with caramel. Taste is chocolate, toasted malts, and slightly woody. The mouthfeel is crisp yet oily. Not very thick.

This is a nice beer that could pair well with anything from barbeque and fried food to sushi.

As a side note, I had this at Lager's in Metairie & it was closer to what other reviewers describe. When I had it at the Barley Oak it wasn't even like the same beer, so something's wrong over there.

Serving type: on-tap

04-29-2009 03:23:30 | More by theghost3

BayouBengal1537

Louisiana

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured at the Barley Oak in Mandeville, La overlooking the lakefront. Beautiful.
A - Very dark, can't see through it at all. Poured with very little head that quickly dissipated into nothing. Didn't leave very much lacing either.
S - Roasted malts aroma, some chocolate and nutty notes compliment
T - Mainly toasted malts, hints of caramel and chocolate, nutty notes as well
M - Medium body, medium carbonation
D - Very good American Brown Ale, this would be my go-to beer when i'm in the mood for this style. It is on the lighter side but that is quite all right when you are drinking in this hot Louisiana weather.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2009 20:04:05 | More by BayouBengal1537